Strawberry Flavoured Ice Cream
by Kye Above
Summary: AU. Crossdresser!A BxA. Instead of going himself,L sends B and A to investigate Kira in person while he works in the background. They have to pass off as normal students and get close to Light, who they agree is totally Kira. B might not be safe if Light figures out who he really is due to crimes of the past, but they'll be Light's best friends until then.
1. Really Worth It?

**In this Beyond Birthday is not B's real name. Well, Beyond's not his first name at least, but I've decided that Birthday will be his last name. Beyond is the name B went by before L changed it to Backup. Also, as you can see from the cover, I've made B into a blond.**

**While the rest of the story will have attempts at humor, this chapter is not humorous at all. This deals with attempted suicide, something that is very serious. I hope I handle it correctly.**

**Also, I admit, I have never actually finished reading Another Note, so B probably won't be much like he was in the novel, but let's just say that during that, he was doing a lot of acting. Why am I writing a story with him in it if I never finished reading it? Don't know.**

_**I**_ _**don't own Death Note or anything else other than maybe Crossdresser!A.**_

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_**A: 13**_

_**B: 15**_

* * *

Alternative wondered what death would be like. He would only truly know once he downed the bottle of sleeping pills though. Would there be a loving god waiting to greet him? Could he meet Him even though his cause of death would be suicide? Could a person who doubted but didn't completely deny His existence even go to heaven. Or would he go to hell and forever be punished for ending his own life. Was there even a heaven or hell, or some type of afterlife? Or was it all nothingness and no existence?

He just needed to open that bottle and he would know.

He took one last look at himself in the full length mirror. He was a cross-dresser, and proud of it. He was wearing the clothing that he hoped they would keep on for his funeral. A pleated black skirt that reached just past his knees, a light blue t-shirt and a black hoodless vest. It was his favourite outfit, and he had even once told everyone that it was the outfit he wanted to die in. Because it was his favourite, he didn't want to wreck it. That was why he was going bloodless.

Unless they knew him personally, one would think he actually was a girl. He wasn't very tall, and his body was more feminine looking than masculine. His hair was grown out past his shoulders, his eyelashes were long, and his skin was shaven. Many actually had mistaken him for a true girl, and he never said otherwise. He and Backup always had a good laugh over it later.

Backup.

Backup would be number one like he had always wanted to be. But would he be able to handle the pressure, or would he suscume to Alternative's ways? No, Backup was stronger than he was. If Backup did die, the other successors, but especially Mello and Near, would have a better chance in the running for L. Mello would make a great L, but he was very emotional, and that would be a problem in cases if he started taking them personally and not as 'just cases'. He knew that Near would make a good L as well, but even when he was still a toddler, it was obvious to everyone that he didn't like following rules very much. If Near didn't end up becoming the next L, he could probably lead a very successful criminal organization, and build it up from the ground.

The thought of Near ordering around dangerous criminals, and not getting killed for it, brought a small smile to his face, one he was sure would be his last. What would Mello do if he didn't end up becoming L? No doubt running a chocolate factory, and in his old age he would pull a Willy Wonka. The mental image of Mello dressed up like Willy Wonka made the smile on his grow a little.

He had realized he was stalling, but he wanted to enjoy a few more minutes of life before death. He may have been about to kill himself, but it didn't mean he didn't respect and love his life. He just didn't want to be L, and Wammy and Roger wouldn't let him back out of it. It was a petty reason to end his life, but the pressure was just becoming too much.

His mind wandered again to Backup. Backup was his best friend, and maybe a little more, though Alternative wasn't completely sure what Backup's thoughts were on the matter. If it wasn't for Backup, he might have killed himself sooner. He almost wished that Backup would come save him then, but they hadn't been talking each other for a week, after he made the mistake of telling Backup that he wanted to die and they got into a fight over it. Backup had been staying in another room since then, and Alternative had wanted to die even more.

He was the first child taken to Wammy's House with the specific reason of becoming the next L. The other children there already disliked him for that reason, out of jealousy, and maybe because even then he already wore dresses. When he stupidly picked Above as his original Wammy nickname, the kids took it as that he thought he was better than them just because he was L's successor. After many months of physical, verbal and emotional abuse, all of which he hid from Roger and those who worked at the orphanage, he had fallen into a deep depression. On the day that Backup arrived at Wammy's House, as the second person with a chance to become L, he had be purposely hurting himself. Backup was the only one who had noticed and cared. His kind words and actions had helped his spirit fix itself a little, even though it would never fully heal. His parents deaths had seen to that.

Backup was very motivated to become L, and it surprised Alternative sometimes that he would hang out with the person that was in the way of him becoming L. It was almost as surprising as when Backup proved, with science and logic, that Near was not albino, like everyone else thought. He just had very light blond hair, and Backup guessed that the eyesight problems he supposedly had were just him refusing to wear glasses. When they confronted the young boy about, he had just smiled and told them to keep it a secret. _Let them have their fun_ He had said.

He really was leaving behind too much. His friends would all miss him. Backup would miss him the most of all. He hesitated grabbing the bottle of sleeping pills, but he eventually did. But was he really making the best decision? His reasons were petty, he had so much to live for, he would be greatly missed, and if it existed, he would probably go to hell, if what the stories he heard in church were true.

He took the cape off and stared at the pills inside. These small things would be his end.

"Alternative, put the bottle down."

He whipped his head around at the familiar voice. Backup was standing by the door, somehow entering without alerting him; but he had been trapped in his own thoughts, so that could have been why. He looked angry and upset, but those emotions were justified.

"I told you not to try this A." He looked away and didn't reply, not knowing what to say. The bottle of sleeping pills fell from his grasp and spilt on the floor. He had hoped that no one, especially Backup, would find him before he was dead. They would be left wondering why he killed himself, because he had decided to not leave a note.

Backup walked up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Aleister Lawsford, your time isn't up just yet."

Alternative's head shot up in shock.

"How do you know my real name? I never told you it."

Backup turned him around against his will. A sad smile was plastered onto the older teen's pale face. He stared into Backup's grey blue eyes, a feature of his that Alternative had always envied. Alternative had simple brown eyes, that he always hated looking at in the mirror.

"I can't say why Al. You wouldn't believe me anyway." It was best to just say nothing else about Backup wouldn't tell him the first time, he wouldn't tell him any other time.

He looked away from Backup, after he realized that he had been staring at his eyes for too long. He wanted to start crying, but no tears would fall. Then, Backup grabbed his chin and gave him a short chaste kiss on the lips, before pulling him into a hug.

"We'll get through this Al. Together."

Tears finally fell.

* * *

**Some are probably wondering 'Why didn't she just make A an actual girl?'. My answer: _Where would be the fun in that? :)_**

**Here's something I should mention. The LABB murders won't take place in this,but B will have killed and been put on trial by the time the main part of the story is set. But he gets away with it because of lack of evidence. Not quite sure if that would work that way, but just go with it.**


	2. Contacted

**A few people seemed to like this, especially in recent times, so I thought that I might as well write a few more chapters. Sorry for the long wait.**

**Also, this will not go above the T-rating.**

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In five years A still retained most of his feminine look, but a few masculine qualities had snuck in, like his voice. Many times when a stranger someone spoke to him over the phone, they had picked up that he was a boy, but he always left them feeling awkward and stated that he was a girl. He didn't just dress like a girl anymore, but self identified as one.

Life was much better ever since they left Wammy's House. It hadn't taken much to convince L to let them leave to program. All they had to do was promise that they'd help him with a case if he ever needed the help, though they were sure that their help would never be needed. He even forged them identities and gave them a guardian, along with a monthly trust fund. They were now Beckett Berry and his younger sister Allee, close siblings who lost their parents in a car accident. Because they had to pose as siblings, the growth of their relationship was limited, but still going strong.

They had moved out of their guardian's house two years before and since about a year ago had been living in a smart apartment far away from the town they had lived in ever since. The main reason that they had moved away from the area was because Beckett had been the criminal in a legal case, accused and guilty of three murders. The only reason that Beckett got away with it was that 'new and controversial evidence' had appeared and the court had been forced to let him off, but everyone still believed that he somehow did it.

Beckett often laughed at the dark not humor of the fact that one of the victims had been a thirteen year old and that the only three at Wammy's House that knew for sure that they were still alive were around that age. Matt and Mello had been Allee's favourite children back at the House, while Near had for some reason been Beckett's favourite kid. Even though they had been told that if they truly wanted to leave their lives behind, they would have to severe ties with everyone, but they hadn't listened.

Mello's birthday was in about two weeks and Allee wasn't sure what to get him, other than the chocolate he usually sent with his gift. With Matt it was easier. Get him any game that he hadn't played, even if it was one meant more for girls or children, and he would play it until he finished and most of the time enjoy it. But Mello had to be difficult, and it wasn't like he could get him clothing like any normal child.

During his work shift, he saw the many items that went through his till, but none of them looked like ones that Mello would enjoy. He knew that Mello would be content with just chocolate, but he always liked giving him extra. Beckett definitely had an easier time picking out gifts for Near. All he had to do was get the boy toys, or other things that he could use to model out his plans for world domination.

Near was evil, Matt was a video game addict that needed to be dragged kicking and screaming from his games even to eat, and if Mello didn't become the next L, screw the chocolate factory, he'd get messed up in the mafia! So why did Allee and Beckett care for them so much?

* * *

The drive back home was silent other than the radio quietly playing even crappier songs than the years before. When a good song did make its appearance as he was closing in on his street he broke his own silence and say along softly. His singing was horrible, but it still felt nice to sing when no one else could hear.

He pulled up in the driveway, but didn't exit the car until the song finished. After finally leaving the car he opened the back door and grabbed the bags that sat on the floor. Beckett's jars of jam and his ice cream made up most of the items, but there were a few other odds and ends. Once he had grabbed all the bags, he kicked the car door shut.

After a long trek up three flights of stairs he reached the door to his apartment he kicked on the door to alert Beckett that he was home. Moments later the door opened, and Allee entered the warm house. After lowering the bags to the floor, he pressed the button on his car keys, locking the doors. He then smiled up at Beckett.

"Have a good day at work?" His pseudo-brother asked him before picking up some of the bags. Allee noted that they were the bags that contained the jam. Shaking his head, Allee picked up the other bags and the two made the short walk to the kitchen. After everything but one jar of jam and a bowls worth of ice cream had been put away, the two sat down at the table to eat their snacks.

"You never did answer my question. How was work?" Beckett asked before shoving a handful of jam into his mouth.

"Somebody tried to steal a car full of items, but that's the usual. All and all it was a good day" He look a small scoop of his ice cream and let it melt before swallowing it.

They talked about causal things as they ate. When Allee brought up Mello's birthday, Beckett just told him to send the boy extra chocolate, and he'd be happier than any normal child on Christmas Day. Allee knew that it made the most sense, and it would fix his problem.

Once he had finished his snack, Allee got up to check if he had any new emails. He didn't expect much, because barely anyone read his stories. He was already logged in when he went to the site. He smiled when he noticed that there was a message that showed that someone had favourited one of his stories. It was better than nothing after all. He was about to click off the screen when another email appeared in his inbox. His eyes widened at the name of the sender.

* * *

Beckett put the half empty jar of jam down on the table. He really wished that L hadn't written them down as siblings in their legal papers. He obviously didn't know of the feelings that they held for each other. Beckett always told himself that it was because like everyone back at Wammy's House, L thought that he couldn't feel romantic love like he insisted so many times, but deep down he knew it was because L didn't understand or recognize the concept of love. L was a sad, sad man.

Beckett couldn't imagine a world without Allee. He didn't know what he would have done if Al had managed to kill himself. He probably would have hated L more than he already did.

"B! Come here!" Allee called from the living room, where they kept the computer. For a moment he wondered if he should leave his jam behind or not, but decided to. When he entered the living room, Allee was sitting with the chair turned away from the computer.

"Did someone send you a nasty flame?" Allee shook his head and motioned for him to come over before turning his chair to once again face the computer. When Beckett saw the email address, he blinked a few times. "Why would Naomi Misora be contacting us?"

"How about we find that out." Allee clicked on the email, and both were surprised at what they saw written.

_B & A, I finally found a case in which I request your help._

_Please dismiss any programs that block hackers so that I may speak directly to you._

_~L_

_PS-Sorry for any confusion this email might have caused._

Allee and Beckett turned to look at each other. There was a case that L couldn't solve? They really hadn't expected that to happen.

"Should we?"

Beckett crossed his arms and smirked.

"We should. Even if we don't take up the case, we can still rub it into L's face that he finally found a case he was unable to solve."

* * *

Five minutes later they were sitting on the chair together, staring at the black L that had just appeared on the now white screen. They really hoped that no one else tried to hack into their computer, because viruses were always a pain in the ass.

"Hello A, B. I hope you've been doing well these past years." Came the computerized voice. Both of their frowns grew. They knew that L didn't care at all.

"So what's this case that you can't solve?"

"I never said I couldn't solve it. I just wish for you to help me."

* * *

_"I wish for you to help me"_

_Young Beyond and Above stared up at the young teen in awe. The world's greatest detective and their idol, who was not much older than them, was requesting their help. They never thought they'd ever meet him, even though one of them had the highest chance of succeeding him._

_Beyond's eyes traveled to above the teen's head, where his name and lifespan floated clear as day to him. He noted that L didn't have a proper first name, but it was much less surprising than the name Nate, which he found to be the most unusual name he had ever seen. It also looked like L would live a long life._

_That was the day that they became TRUE successors to L. That was also the day they lost the names they had come to love so much and any childhood mentality that they may still have had. That was when the pressure started building up, slowly but surely. But it was all for the sake of one day making the world a better place, right?"_

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**Next chapter, Light should be making his appearance. I can't wait to write it.**

**Apparently the LABB murders did happen, just a bit differently and under a different name. Maybe I should write it...no, I already have too much on my mind.**

**I should have the next chapter out within a few months or so.**


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